Council is considering harsher penalties for "water-wasters"
By
Ray Gomez
Story Created:
Sep 15, 2009
Story Updated:
Sep 15, 2009
City council is proposing some changes to the water conservation ordinance, including tougher penalties for those who won't comply. Some are not happy with these tougher penalties and voiced their opinions at a special city council meeting.
City council and the utilities department are looking at a proposed water conservation plan. One option is a proposed city ordinance that will penalize people whom waste water.
"It will create a money wasting bureaucracy that may wind up costing the city and tax payers over a million dollars a year to maintain."
This man was against the water conservation plan, and he says the tougher penalties are way too high.
For example the city will increase the penalty from a range of $20 and $100 to a flat $500 per violation, per day. Also the city will establish fees for wasting water, $5 for the first citation, and five dollars extra for every other citation.
"It’s something that is being regards by Texas Water Board. It’s needed for possible financing."
"There are some things I understand and I agree there are concerns is whether we should put you must or you recommend."
According to the director of utilities, the Jefferson plant produced over the summer 63 billion gallons per day.
The plant has a capability of 65 billion gallons.
"We will almost need to have the 3 days of cycle of Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays in order to meet demands."
City council agreed to that and to also allow no more than two written warnings before the first citation can be issued for violations of this ordinance, but councilmen had a problem on a disconnection after certain amount of citations.
"That should be removed because you can only disconnect services for failure to pay water bill."
City council is still making changes in this proposed water conservation plan.
The city is looking at reducing the consumption of water by 20%. City council will continue discussions on the proposed water conservation plan.
They will bring the latest recommendations to the next city council meeting and finalize the plan.
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la verdad said on Wednesday, Sep 16 at 10:07 AM
the biggest water wasters, City of Laredo from inadequate infrastructure improvements despite 100's of millions of bonds issued in the mid to late 1990's.. Where did all that money go? salaries, perks, pick up trucks, travel junkets, instead of sewer pipes, pumps, water lines, holding tanks. It's all about JOBS for losers, not city service to the citizens
29230504A Knapp said on Wednesday, Sep 16 at 10:19 PM
I have to agree here. (with la verdad) "Water Wasters" aren't only located in private residences, but also in apartments, office buildings, etc. It also, doesn't help matters when workers hit water mains while working on streets, or water tanks leaking for weeks.
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